(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of graphic user interfaces (GUls) within computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a GUI that is particularly useful in applications relating to the internet.
(2) Prior Art
Browsers display on-screen buttons, links and icons that users select in order to navigate through the information presented at a world wide web (http://www) site or to transfer to other websites. One language called hypertext markup language or HTML is often used to specially code the display screens or "web pages" that are presented on a display screen to a computer user that is connected to a particular website. Buttons and links that are used to initiate user actions in HTML are typically presented using one of two different methods. One prior art method uses only text to represent a button and the other prior art method uses only a graphic image to represent the button.
In the first prior art method, buttons and links to other websites can display specified text (e.g., ASCII characters), but do not include an iconic picture associated with the button or link. Although text display alone is useful in many applications, users and web page designers desire to use icons (graphic pictures) associated with buttons and links because the artistic features of a graphic picture are very beneficial. For instance, a button with a icon (e.g., an iconic button) is faster to locate and recognize than a text only button because it offers more distinctive information, especially over repeated use. Secondly, the iconic button clarifies and confirms the meaning of the button and its user action beyond what is achievable with a single word or phrase of text in a text only button. Lastly, the iconic button adds visual appeal to the web page thereby making use of the website more enjoyable by the user. This can translate into increased sales, increased dissemination of information, increased advertisement coverage, etc., which are all desired by most web page designers and sponsors.
In the second prior art method, graphic pictures are provided in web pages; however, only the graphic picture is included without any character based text unless the English label is drawn into the iconic image (e.g., in bit-mapped or raster format). Pictures are rarely so clear that they do not need a text label to supplement their meaning at least for the first time a user sees them. To solve this problem, many web page designers place English text in graphic form into the graphic picture. However, placing English text into the picture in graphic form creates many problems.
The first problem is that graphic form text (e.g., bit mapped text) is not easily translatable between different languages (e.g., Italian, English, French, German, etc.). In order to translate graphic form text between languages, the translator for each language needs to use a drawing tool to redraw all of the graphic form text inside the image that is to be translated. In this case, the task of translating web information is accomplished by hand where the images are redrawn by a skilled artist and this technique requires a large amount of complex, custom and time consuming effort. What is desired instead is a display button for a web page that displays both an icon and character based text so that the text can be readily translated using a semi-automated process of word and phrase substitution so that graphics artists and time consuming drafting tools are not required in the translation phase.
A second problem of having graphic-form text within a display button is that the graphic-form text is static. This prevents the insertion of dynamic status information (e.g., information capable of being changed or obtained at run-time) into the display button. Dynamic status and content specific information can improve the usability of a web page. For instance, if a button is used to send email (electronic mail) to a manager currently assigned to approve a requisition for hire, it is not currently possible to readily create, dynamically, a graphic image of the manager's name within the display button. Instead, web page designers create a generic and static email button that would have a graphic-form of the text "Email Approving Manager" without any indication as to the manager's name within the display button.
Also, with a static image, it is not possible to illustrate to a user, in a display button, the results of a particular computer operation. For example, assume a button is used to display all the matching records of a computer operation (e.g., a keyword search) rather than just a small subset. It would be advantageous to provide, in the display button, the actual number of records that are to be downloaded so that a user does not inadvertently download an inordinate number of records which could overflow the computer memory. In this case it would be advantageous to provide a display button that indicated the number of records, e.g., "Download 254 Records." However, using the second method discussed above, since the graphic-form text information is static, run-time computer results cannot be integrated into the display button.
Accordingly, what is needed is a display button for a web page that contains graphic images and text whereby the text can be readily translated between different languages without the need for the image to be redrawn using an artist and a drawing tool package. What is needed further is a display button for a web page that contains graphic images and text whereby the information displayed incorporates dynamic information, such as status, names, and results of operations. The present invention display button provides the above features and others not necessarily recited above but clear within further discussions of the present invention herein.